31 August 2008

I spent four hours yesterday at an anti-racism music festival in Kenilworth. Myself, Ken and Tom staffed a stall for the Green Party. It was organised by sixth formers at Castle Sixth Form in Kenilworth. We were lucky enough to borrow a table and two wooden fold-up chairs from a nearby church hall, and just walk across Abbey Fields to the festival site. About 200 young people attended over the 4 hours we were there.

"Washington's been talking about our oil addiction for the last 30 years, and John McCain has been there for 26 of them. In that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office."

"Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close."

"Plastic bags are more symbolic than anything. They might make up a small percentage of waste but cutting down on them might get people thinking in a different way."

"What's more effective is to get across the idea that plastic is oil and we should cut down on our use of plastic, full stop, by using glass bottles instead of plastic."

"Right now, the council is shying away from trying to reduce people's waste overall. They want to up the household recycling from 25 per cent to 50 per cent but they're taking 12 years to do it. In terms of non-plastic bag waste, they're setting their sights lower than they could."

But, I think his main problem is that Obama keeps using high-falutin' words, like "specificity" -- he needs to keep talking about hope and change, but start talking far more about unemployment, about falling real incomes, and explain things in 10-word chunks that people in the check-out line at Wal-Mart can understand.

26 August 2008

"Many containers storing the radioactive waste are made of second-rate materials, handled carelessly, and are liable to corrode. Through a combination of slip-shod management and lacklustre construction, 40 per cent of the containers are expected to fail, quite possibly before a long-term storage area can be built and sealed."

You might know IMBs better as "Boards of Visitors" -- they visit prisons and listen to detainees, not necessarily about issues like immigration problems, but issues like access to a solicitor, staff behaviour, living conditions, or food.

The National Council feels that the proposed Titan jails (at least 3 jails, with 2500 inmates each, on a site of 50 acres, at £350 million a pop) could be dangerous, that ministers have failed to explain why they would save money, and that ministers appeared to omit any concern for the importance of monitoring conditions in prisons.

The council said "there will be major and potentially dangerous consequences if services such as health and education are provided centrally, as it will be difficult to protect the most vulnerable prisoners from those who might cause them harm".

The council's president, Dr Peter Selby, said: "Most of our boards favour smaller units and have negative experience of large establishments and clustering of prisons to achieve efficiency, but at the cost of effective rehabilitation. We shall continue to emphasise and carry out our task of monitoring fairness and respect wherever people are imprisoned, and point out the major disadvantages of prisons of a size that present serious management problems."

24 August 2008

He says it could be possible to continue opening 100 academies a year after 2011, when the target of 400 city academies is likely to be met. Furthermore, he now says they should become "akin to private schools," with strict disciplinary codes, a broad curriculum and 12-hour days.

- They've wrongly detained disabled children.- They've had no specialist health services for children, no registered sick children's nurse, no "easily accessible" mental health services for children, and no children's counsellor.- There was inadequate education and after-school facilities.- They've kept inaccurate records.- Some families had been transported to and from the centre in caged vans.

A spokesperson for the UK Border Agency described the entire situation as "necessary [as part of maintaining] a robust but fair asylum system."

They called for an end to the detention of all child asylum seekers by the government. They found that detention was not necessary for the majority of asylum seekers, and that it should never be used for children or pregnant women. "Guardianship schemes for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children" could take the place of detention -- with the appointment of named individuals to safeguard their best interests.

- the names, addresses and dates of birth of around 33,000 offenders in England and Wales with six or more recordable convictions in the past 12 months on the Police National Computer- the names and dates of birth, but not addresses, of 10,000 prolific and other priority offenders- the names, dates of birth and, in some cases, the expected prison release dates of all 84,000 prisoners held in England and Wales

The Guardian points out that: "if it falls into the wrong hands it could leave some criminals with spent convictions open to retribution at the hands of victims, raising the possibility of the government being sued."

Britain produces almost 12 million loaves a day, but only 3% are produced by regional artisan bakers. The campaign's definition of "real" bread is bread made with flour, water, salt (not mandatory) and some yeast, either naturally occuring or industrial -- with no additives or added enzymes.

"In contrast, if you let dough ferment for long enough, natural and beneficial bacteria work to make the bread more digestible, nutritious and tasty. Most British bread is made too quickly for these bacteria to have a chance. Fermenting dough for six hours as opposed to 30 minutes removes around 80% of a potentially carcinogenic substance called acrylamide found in bread crusts, and long yeast fermentations conserve the highest levels of B vitamins in dough."

"It will encourage bakers to improve their methods and to reward (with new customers) those who are already making great bread. We'll be campaigning for honest labelling of all ingredients. We want individuals, schools and other institutions to make their own real bread ... It's even been calculated that making a loaf in a home breadmaker uses less energy than buying one in a supermarket. Bake your own and save the planet? I see the beginnings of a joyful and healthy domestic economy."

20 August 2008

Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan, who chaired the Lords Science Sub-Committee on Waste Reduction, said: "It is time for the Government to remove its priorities from household waste to the far greater problem of industrial and commercial waste ... We would also like to see the VAT regime reformed so that products that have a long life cycle and can be easily and cheaply repaired are made economically more attractive."

18 August 2008

In addition to "The General" resigning, and the situation in Georgia, Newsnight tonight (BBC2, 1030pm) will focus on water being the new oil. This is from Newsnight's daily email on what's coming up on their programme:

"Water scarcity - and its consequent problems - has leapt up the list of concerns of the military and defence world. We report from Mexico City - where water levels are dropping faster than Venice, Kenya - where it's estimated half the African continent could be suffering from 'water stress' within 25 years, and the West Bank, where water consumption has become one of the main obstacles to peace."

Jim Jepps, over at The Daily (Maybe), compiles a list of "top green blogs" each year. He was kind enough to include me in the top 60 in 2006, and the top 20 in 2007.

Here's his list for 2008, with myself at #14.

On the right hand side of the blog, you can vote for the "best of the best" of Jim's top 20. Vote early, vote often! [edited to add - this was meant as a quote from Al Capone -- Jim says that, in theory, you can vote again, but it will substitute your 2nd choice for your first; the javascript might not be sophisticated enough to handle you voting twice, so once is best]

This Saturday, we'll start collecting paper signatures to complement the online petition. We'll be going door to door in areas that surround the incinerator's current location (Cheylesmore and Lower Stoke).

If you want to help out, give me a call (07906 316726), and we'll be active from 12pm to 2pm.

If you're not free on Saturday the 16th, we'll also be doing this on the 23rd and 30th of August, and the 6th and 13th of September.

14 August 2008

Friends of the Earth's Keith Kondakor is firmly against burning rubbish, but has applied for the £83,000 director's job leading Project Transform, Coventry's future strategy to deal with waste that can't be recycled.

Mr Kondakor has even told the council he'll do the job for £44,000 less than its salary.

The campaigner says he applied for the job because the council is currently bidding for funding for a new incinerator but the public won't be consulted for at least another three years.

He said: "As a member of the public I will have to wait years before I can have a say at the planning meeting. This will be too late as they will have wasted £4 million by that point on the bidding process. We need to talk now about what is really needed for processing waste in the region. Applying to manage the project seems the only option available to discuss it at the top level."

12 August 2008

The Second Law of Thermodynamics is about order; the Universe is inexorably heading to increased randomness and disorder. For practical purposes, this does not have to be a problem because we can increase order locally by hard work, by expending energy. But in the process we create greater disorder (heat and waste) elsewhere. If there is plenty of energy and plenty of "elsewhere", then we don't have to worry. Indeed, for our whole existence, we largely haven't worried; in fact the whole world order, built on trade and economics, hasn't worried.

A recent study looking at Nicaraguan coffee production and processing showed that the total energy embodied in coffee exported to several countries - though not all - was not compensated by the dollar price paid for that energy. Essentially, the conclusion was that the country is exporting subsidised energy.

The orderliness required to plant, grow, harvest, process, pack, store, monitor, administer, transport, display and sell the produce in a supermarket is simply staggering, and the expended energy intense. As an example, tomato production in the US consumes four times as many calories as the calorific value of the tomatoes created.

Surely at some point, let's say between $50 and $500 per barrel of oil, it no longer makes any sense to simultaneously export and import food high in embodied energy.

We're going to have our monthly meeting for August tonight (730pm, at the Coventry Peace House).

Don't worry if you can't come, since we're going to be starting up a rolling programme of more social meetings (pub nights, BBQ and board game nights, going to the odd film), on top of the monthly meetings. You can give me a call on 07906 316 726 for information on future meetings.

A Citizen's Income would replace tax-free allowances and most benefits. It would be sufficient to cover an individual's basic needs. It would be unconditional. It would be payable to each individual as a right of citizenship. It would not be subject to means testing.

There would be no requirement to be either working or actively seeking work. The idea would be to eliminate unemployment and poverty traps. People would be able to choose their own types and patterns of work.

We wouldn't have a welfare state as much as a welfare community, engaging people in personally satisfying and socially useful work.

It's this kind of policy that sets the Green Party apart from the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats. What kind of society will we have if we continue our obsession with working harder and harder, with less leisure time, for low pay? We won't have the level of social solidarity needed to address the challenges of climate change, so long as individuals have their basic needs under threat.

I am 24. Will there be a Green prime minister in my lifetime? And will it be you?Helen Faulkner, Windsor, Berkshire

"Absolutely. After all, Labour went from their first MP to government in 24 years – and that was without the added urgency of external environmental pressures. But it's more likely to be someone from your generation than mine – maybe Norwich opposition leader Adrian Ramsay, who is likely to be our first deputy leader, and is just 26 – so I will be counting on him when I'm spending more time with my family!"

Why do so many British people still not believe in climate change?Fraser Sullivan, Dorking, Surrey

"I think many people are genuinely confused – confused by a government that says climate change is the greatest threat that we face, and then gives the go-ahead to the largest expansion of aviation in a generation, and promotes the idea of more coal-fired power stations, like Kingsnorth."

What is the point of the Green Party when all the mainstream parties are embracing the environmental agenda?Antonya King, Middlesborough

"All too often, other parties make 'green' all about 'taxes', and use it as an excuse to raise money from ordinary people. Any money collected through incentives to cut carbon should be invested in saving us money and energy, like Green councillors are doing by providing free insulation. Add to this the fact that the other parties also manage to have the wrong policies on everything from fighting inequality to preventing crime."

The Local Medical Committee (LMC), which represents city GPs, is vehemently opposed to the "commercial-isation of general practice". It was represented at the meeting by secretary Dr Jamie Macpherson who warned that the cash came with "strings attached", in the form of multinational companies looking to make a profit. Socialist Cllr Rob Windsor raised concerns about some of the multi-nationals who could be potential bidders for the new Coventry surgeries. He said: "Inviting them in would be like inviting dingos to run a sheep farm. Let's have a proper look at these companies or we could see them denying healthcare to certain people."

"to suggest that general practice in its current form is somehow fundamentally different to general practice provided by a consortium of GPs, or even a private healthcare company, is generally not credible."

For the committee, for-profit healthcare is the same as GPs in their current form. Hands-up, who agrees with that? For-profit healthcare means that more profitable procedures/patients will get priority, rather than what local health necessarily needs.

2) The chair, Joe Clifford (Lab - Holbrooks) is the only member to attend all the meetings/visits/briefings listed at the end. The deputy chair, Altaf Adalat (Con - Foleshill), didn't attend any of them.

- The APMS contract creates a business-based, profit-driven approach to health care, at the expense of the existing GPs’ service-based, patient-centred approach – Dr Wells, Vice-Chair of the LMC suggested that the new contracts might be "the end of general practice as I know it".- Short term contracts interrupt continuity of care and the GP’s role as a patient advocate- The procurement process creates barriers to entry for GPs, notably the significant cost of preparing a credible bid- GPs are not, in isolation, an effective response to health inequalities- The risk that new entrants will either destabilise existing general practice provision, or fail and leave the market, thereby wasting tax payers’ money, with the additional risk that damage to health care provision in the locality will already have been done- There are fears for the terms and conditions of salaried GPs, and questions about the quality of the practitioners- Private contractors will offer diagnostic services and undermine their provision atUniversity Hospital Walsgrave

13. The LMC’s overall view is that the existing GP contracts, the General Medical Services (GMS) contract, and Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracts are the appropriate means by which new services should be introduced.

14. The Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC), which represents the city’s pharmacists, came to a similar view. The LPC saw considerable risk and potential destabilisation of the provision of community pharmacy, if there was turbulence in general practice. The pharmacists feared the new practices would include so-called "100 hour" pharmacies which are exempt from the control of entry regulations. The LPC feared that these new co-located pharmacies could put existing pharmacies out of business, and reduce the provision of "High Street" community pharmacy.

09 August 2008

Each morning, the neighbourhood has a meeting that feeds back to the main site meeting through delegates. These meetings are based on non-hierarchical consensus techniques and have been efficient and productive. Any problems are resolved, tasks are divided and any camp-wide issues are discussed.

Workshops form an integral part of each day. They are wide-ranging, based mainly on participatory discussion rather than passive consumption of information.

They have focussed on political, technological and philosophical issues, and have included talks on the science of climate change, ecofeminism, the relevance of the miners strike, and the potential impact of a new Kingsnorth coal plant.

There have also been vegan cake making classes, banner making sessions and instruction in direct action techniques. In the evenings there is live entertainment, including performance poetry, a celidh and Seize the Day.

"The climate camp protest is a peaceful and legitimate demonstration against a proposed facility that many view as a potent symbol of the government's misguided commitment to highly polluting and unsustainable fossil fuels."

"Activists from far and wide have travelled to register their disgust at government support for new coal-fired power stations and at the lack of urgent action on climate change."

"As climate campers hold workshops and debate some of the key issues of our time – peak oil, economic downturn, food shortages – scores of police sweat in their riot gear on the other side of the fence. They all clutch a copy of a pocket booklet entitled "Policing Protests" - produced by the ominously titled "National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit" - which appears designed to provide endless ways of shutting down legitimate protests. One such tactic has been to smash the windows of vehicles parked outside the camp and to try to tow away cars under the Abandoned Vehicles Act."

"I am shocked by the violent and excessive attack on civil liberties meted out by the police here, as is my Green colleague on the London assembly and member of the Metrolitan Police Authority, Jenny Jones, who has already raised concerns with Met commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, and New Scotland Yard. We will be calling for any Met officers who have acted inappropriately to be reprimanded, fined or even sacked. It is crucial that we defend the right to peaceful protest, a right that is under threat from the government's disproportionate anti-terrorism legislation and anti-democratic amendments to its planning bill."

"Everything now hinges on stopping coal. Whether we prevent runaway climate change largely depends on whether we keep using the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel. Unless we either leave it - or the carbon dioxide it produces - in the ground, human development will start spiralling backwards. The more coal is burnt, the smaller are our chances of future comfort and prosperity ... Everything I have fought for and that all campaigners for social justice have ever fought for - food, clean water, shelter, security - is jeopardised by climate change. Those who claim to identify a conflict between environmentalism and humanitarianism have either failed to read the science or have refused to understand it."

02 August 2008

"If Kingsnorth goes ahead, it will be operating by 2012, two years before the CCS [carbon capture storage] experiment has even begun. The government says that the demonstration project will take 'at least 15 years' to assess.

It will take many more years for the technology to be retro-fitted to existing power stations, by which time it's all over.

On this schedule, carbon capture and storage, if it is deployed at all, will come too late to prevent runaway climate change.

Kingsnorth will produce around 4.5m tonnes of CO2 every year; if all eight of the proposed coal plants are built, they will account for 46% of the emissions Britain can produce by 2050, assuming the government sticks to Brown's new proposed target of an 80% cut.

"The climate camp is designed to challenge not just the expansion of coal but the idea that progress can only be attained through growth and the extension of "free" market ideologies. We need new ways of thinking and acting that put people and the planet we all live on back at the heart of things. We need a just transition away from fossil fuels. That is the singular and urgent task of this generation and that's what the Climate Camp is all about."